'She was one in a million' - Tributes paid to Walsall nurse who died of cancer

 Maxine Plant, aged 52, spent ten years as an Lymphoedema Clinical Nurse Specialist at Walsall Palliative Care Centre  in Goscote, where she died of brain cancer on 15 January.

She and husband Andrew  would have celebrated their 21^st wedding anniversary on Valentine’s Day with their children, Zak, aged 19, and Amy aged 16.

 The mum of two survived breast cancer three years ago, but two years ago, the disease returned to her lung, then her brain.

 A prolific fundraiser for cancer, Maxine raised more than £9,000 for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Chemotherapy and Breast Care Teams following her initial diagnosis, with the final donation made last week.

 The money has already bought several wooden benches and tables at Goscote.

 A collection at Maxine’s cremation on February 4 raised £1,000 and the family are putting it towards a memorial to her in the grounds at Goscote.

 Andrew, a coach driver, said: “The staff were so loving and compassionate towards Maxine and us. 

“This is despite many of them there knowing her, so it must have been hard for them too.

 “We’d like all the money to go to the Palliative Care Centre because of the care she had. She worked there and died there. It was her perfect job – she loved it there.

  “Maxine was lovely – she’d help anybody out, she looked after the family and she worked hard.

 “She was kind and put others before herself, and was even trying to organise a fundraiser a week before she died.”

 Amy said: “She was a lovely mum – one in a million. She would help anyone and was a major role model for Zak and I.”

 Maxine and Andrew met outside the nightclub Chicago’s in Wolverhampton.

 Originally from Coalpool, she attended Thomas More School in Willenhall, before starting her career at 18 as a nurse in the Emergency Department at New Cross Hospital.

 She worked there for many years, before switching to Cannock Chase Hospital then the Palliative Care Centre.

Louise Rooney, clinical lead, specialist lymphoedema service, said: “Maxine was a fantastic, knowledgeable nurse who supported and treated the patients in her care to the highest standard.

 “Her amazing charity work was one of her greatest attributes.

“Maxine was a big part of the lymphoedema service and will be missed by her colleagues, patients, and the wider palliative care group.”

 Georgie Westley, Walsall Healthcare’s charity Well Wishers fundraising manager, said: “Maxine was a really kind, lovely and thoughtful person and it was so typical that despite struggling with her own health, her first thought was of others, and she raised so much money.”